The humid July air of 2008 slammed into Jang Taesan like a wall as he stepped out of the classroom. Heat shimmered above the cracked pavement of the schoolyard, where students spilled out in noisy waves.
Laughter. Shouts. The smack of sneakers against worn asphalt.
It was all achingly familiar, yet so distant—like walking through a photograph of a life he had already lived. His frayed backpack dug into his shoulders, its weight grounding him in the surreal truth.
He wasn't dreaming. He was seventeen again.
Girls clustered near the vending machines, giggling over cans of Chilsung Cider, their voices shrill with summer energy. Boys kicked a scuffed soccer ball against a graffiti-stained wall, arguing over fouls with laughter and curses.
Faces passed by—faces he hadn't seen in over a decade. Some he remembered as future coworkers. Some would fade into obscurity. And one… one was marked by tragedy.
Han Do-jin.
The crooked grin of his old friend flashed across the courtyard, and Taesan's heart twisted. He remembered the nightmarish car crash in his previous life, the way Do-jin's death had shattered their group.
I can't save everyone. Not yet.
But the thought sharpened his resolve. This time, he wouldn't let the world drag him down.
A hard shove slammed into his back. His balance teetered, but his instincts—honed from years as a security guard breaking up brawls—snapped into place. He spun, catching himself before hitting the ground.
And came face-to-face with the one person he had hoped to avoid.
Kang Min-soo.
The bully's broad shoulders filled the space, his trademark smirk plastered across his face. Two cronies flanked him, school ties loose, hair messy, sneers already curling at their lips.
In his first life, Min-soo had made school a private hell. Every insult, every shove, every humiliation had been a hammer blow, crushing his confidence until nothing remained.
"Nice show in class, nerd," Min-soo drawled, loud enough for the courtyard to hush. He leaned closer, shadows cutting across his face. "Solve one problem and suddenly you're a genius? Don't get cocky."
A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd.
The old Taesan would have bowed his head, muttered an apology, and prayed for it to end quickly. But not this time.
This time, he had lived through failure, debt collectors, humiliation… and death.
His fists curled at his side. His eyes locked on Min-soo's with a fire that hadn't been there before.
"Back off, Min-soo," he said, his voice low and steady, cutting through the buzz. "I'm not your punching bag."
The smirk froze on Min-soo's lips. For just a heartbeat, shock flickered across his face. Then his pride ignited, twisting his expression into a scowl.
"What did you just say?" he growled, stepping forward, chest puffed out like a rooster before a fight. His cronies chuckled darkly, eager for a show.
Students circled around them, phones already sliding out of pockets. Whispers buzzed like electricity.
"You think you're tough, Jang?" Min-soo barked. He shoved Taesan again, harder this time. "Say it again!"
Taesan's pulse pounded in his ears, but not from fear. Nights dealing with drunks, squaring off against men twice his size in alleyways—he remembered all of it. This body was still weak, but his mind wasn't.
"I said back off," he repeated, louder this time.
The courtyard went silent.
"HEY!"
The sharp voice sliced through the tension.
Every head turned.
A girl pushed through the circle, her ponytail swaying behind her. Her uniform was crisp, her French-Korean features sharp beneath the summer sun. Her eyes burned with annoyance, and her tone cracked like a whip.
Sophie Leclerc.
Top of the class. Untouchable. Brilliant.
"What's your problem, Kang?" she snapped, planting herself between them without hesitation. "Can't stand someone outsmarting you, so you pick a fight? Pathetic."
Laughter broke out from the crowd. Min-soo's jaw clenched, his pride stung by Sophie's glare. Everyone knew she wasn't someone to mess with.
"Stay out of this, Leclerc," he muttered, but his voice had lost its edge.
She didn't even flinch.
The silence stretched, the weight of her stare breaking him down piece by piece. Finally, Min-soo spat on the ground, jerking his head at his cronies. "This isn't over, Jang."
He shoved past the circle, his lackeys scrambling after him.
The crowd dissolved into whispers, phones snapping shut, excitement buzzing in the air.
Sophie turned to him, arms crossed. "You okay?"
Taesan exhaled slowly, his pulse steadying. He nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."
Her sharp eyes studied him, searching. "You were different in class today. Solved that problem without even blinking. That's not the Jang Taesan I know."
He forced a shrug, playing it off. "Guess I got lucky."
Her lips quirked, half skeptical, half amused. "Sure. Just… don't waste that spine of yours tangling with idiots. Min-soo doesn't let things go."
Then, with a nod, she turned on her heel and walked away, her ponytail swaying behind her.
Taesan watched her go, a faint smile tugging at his lips. In his past life, Sophie Leclerc had been untouchable—a name whispered with admiration, a figure admired from afar. But now… now she had stepped into his story.
That night, Taesan walked through the neon-lit streets of Noryangjin. Ramen shops steamed, the scent of broth heavy in the humid air. Street vendors called out, their tteokbokki sizzling in sauce. Students trudged into cram schools, eyes dull with exhaustion, chasing dreams they might never reach.
It was the same world he had left behind—yet entirely different now.
He paused outside a faded sign: Choi's Taekwondo & Hapkido Academy.
Through the smudged glass, students snapped kicks with sharp shouts. Their white uniforms blurred in motion, the discipline in their eyes unmistakable. At the center stood a stern man with a salt-and-pepper buzz cut, barking corrections with the authority of someone who had forged fighters for decades.
Master Choi.
In his first life, Taesan had walked past this place without a second thought. But tonight, Min-soo's smirk still burned in his mind. He thought of Sophie's words, of the years ahead, of enemies far more dangerous than a high school bully.
If I want to rewrite my fate, I need more than brains. I need strength.
He pushed the door open.
The bell jingled softly. Sweat and liniment filled his lungs. The floorboards creaked under his shoes as every head turned to him.
Master Choi's gaze swept over him like an X-ray. "You here to train, kid?" he asked, voice gravelly.
Taesan met his eyes without flinching. "Yes, sir. I want to learn to protect myself."
The master's brows lifted slightly, then furrowed. "Discipline. Pain. Dedication. Most quit after a week. Are you ready for that?"
Taesan thought of Min-soo. Of debt collectors. Of a child's small hand slipping from his as headlights bore down. Of fourteen wasted years.
His answer was steady, unshakable.
"I'm ready for anything."
Master Choi's stare lingered, then softened into a grudging nod. "Tomorrow. Six sharp. Don't be late."
As Taesan stepped back into the glowing streets, a new fire kindled in his chest.
This time, he thought, staring up at the stars above Seoul's neon haze—
This time, I'll be unstoppable